Salinas >> For the second time in two weeks the former members of the C unit of the Sheriff’s Office held a press conference alleging financial wrongdoing, this time with copies of canceled checks, on the part of Deputy Sheriffs Association President Dan Mitchell and Monterey County Sheriff candidate Scott Davis.

“I’ve never seen these before,” said Davis of the images that allegedly bear his signature. When asked if it was his signature on the cancelled checks, Davis repeated “I’ve never seen these before.”

“I say it’s his signature,” said Archie Warren, a Monterey County Sheriff’s commander. “Let the people doing the investigation prove right or wrong.”

Last week Joe Moses, a commander with the Sheriff’s Office, held a press conference in front of the office space in old town Salinas being leased by the DSA for $3,200 per month, to announce the allegations of fiscal improprieties, including the lease on the space, and that a complaint had been filed with the California Fair Political Practices Commission.

What has been alleged is that $31,750 of membership dues has been funneled into Scott Davis’ campaign fund to pay his campaign manager, Christian Schneider of Pivotal Campaign Services, in addition to several questionable donations and reimbursements made on behalf of Davis out of the DSA coffers.

“That complaint is still being considered by” the Fair Political Practices Commission, said Mark Caldwell, sheriff’s commander. “There are a couple of other agencies considering this.”

When asked who those agencies are, Caldwell said, “I’m not at liberty to discuss that right now.”

Revenue from DSA member dues totaling $530,000 annually goes into the bank and pays expenditures such as retaining a law firm, paying for membership in the Peace Officers Research Association of California, and about $50,000 annually for leasing the office and paying for cleaning and internet service.

Warren said the lease on the office space was not approved by a vote of the membership, something he said should have been done. Additionally, Warren said, the organization can continue to use the Sheriff’s Posse Grounds at virtually no cost to the DSA.

Caldwell reiterated the claim that the 13 members of the C unit were voted out of the union, which has never before happened in the organization’s history, because the members “began demanding answers from the DSA President, Dan Mitchell, about how our dues were being spent.”

The members of the C unit include commanders, captains, and supervising District Attorney investigators. The A unit covers about 280 deputies and District Attorney investigators, and the B unit has 35 sergeants as its members.

“Just before that vote, my colleagues and I discovered DSA President Dan Mitchell and Scott Davis had signed DSA checks made payable to Pivotal Campaign Services, Scott Davis’ campaign manager, Christian Schneider,” said Caldwell.

Last Friday, a lawsuit was filed by Mitchell; Ted Avery, DSA treasurer; and the Deputy Sheriffs’ Association of Monterey County, to stop Sheriff Steve Bernal, and the County of Monterey from retaliating against the Monterey County Deputy Sheriffs’ Association and its members for engaging in protected activities including, among other things, refusing to endorse Sheriff Bernal in his reelection campaign, and to prevent them from further interfering with the MCDSA’s and its members’ protected activities, according to court documents.

Davis said he had not seen the lawsuit and would not comment on it.

“I stand here telling you this story today as a member of the so-called “C unit and as a whistle-blower,” because this was never about a political campaign. This was about the discovery of questionable and gross mismanagement of DSA membership dues,” said Caldwell. “There just happens to be a political campaign going on at the same time.”

Warren said as a whistle-blower he is considering a lawsuit to protect himself and his family’s interests.

“This is total nonsense and the exact same thing they were saying last week,” said Davis. “It’s just political theater.”

James Herrera has been with The Herald for nearly three decades, during which he has been an ad designer, staff artist, newsroom graphic artist, videographer and now a reporter. He covers business and the cities of Marina, Seaside, Sand City and Del Rey Oaks.